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Improved heel cup shaping results in much less slip than before(Image credit: James Huang)
The tongue is only moderately padded but very airy, making for good airflow(Image credit: James Huang)
The heel pad isn't replaceable but extending it up the back of the heel still makes for easier walking than usual(Image credit: James Huang)
The included eSoles eFit footbed can be customized to suit your personal anatomy but you have to buy a separate add-on kit to get the alternate-fit pieces(Image credit: James Huang)
The corrected sole curvature no longer results in warped cleats(Image credit: James Huang)
The plastic buckle works well enough but is a bit clunky in both function and appearance(Image credit: James Huang)
The full-carbon sole plate is notably stiff and the three-hole drilling includes the extra insert for Look's memory tab feature(Image credit: James Huang)
Bontrager has corrected the major flaws in last year's RL Road shoes, making this latest version a much more compelling buy(Image credit: James Huang)
Derby-style construction splits the upper nearly all the way to the tips of the toes, making it more accommodating of a wider range of foot widths(Image credit: James Huang)
Bontrager's first-run RL road shoes were appealing on paper what with their novel upper construction, stiff full-length carbon fiber plate and reasonable pricing but we found the original version to fall well short of its promise: an incorrect sole curvature resulted in warped cleats, fit around the heel cup was sloppy and loose, and the add-on customizable bits for the stock eSoles eFit footbed weren't even available yet.
That's thankfully all been corrected for 2010 so now we can instead concentrate on its generous list of positives.
Just as before, the novel Derby-style upper (whereby the split extends nearly all the way to the front edge of the shoe) is impressively accommodating of different foot widths while the ratcheting main buckle and twin forefoot Velcro straps securely lock you in place despite the latter's curiously short length. Heel slip with revised heel cup shape is virtually nil now, too, and the overall feel is more solid and positive than before – if a tad wooden given the upper's somewhat stiff materials.
Full carbon sole plate construction also makes for a very stiff pedaling platform and plenty of mesh in the upper makes for pretty good ventilation, too. The sole sports two pairs of vents each as well but as is often the case, they're obscured by the footbed so they're only marginally effective.
Ample arch support is provided by the included eSoles eFit modular footbed with their interchangeable plastic arches and foam metatarsal pads. Buyers will still need to get a US$49.99 'Bontrager eFit Upgrade Kit' to get the complete set of alternate arches and pads themselves but if your feet are anything short of perfectly average in shape, it's still a compelling purchase since full-custom insoles are still often much more expensive.
This tester's rather flat arches found the standard configuration to impinge too aggressively on the arches but swapping to the lower insert alleviated the discomfort while retaining the impressive level of support – and adding the metatarsal pads keep the toes nice and happy as well on longer rides.
As of press time, Bontrager was in the process of outfitting select retailers with bulk 'dealer kits' so you'll soon be able to purchase individual footbed pieces instead, thereby dramatically decreasing the cost.
There are still a few niggles on this latest version of Bontrager's RL Road shoes but they're fairly minor given the value-oriented US$179.99 asking price. The chunky plastic buckle still feels a bit cheap and lacks a partial-release function for loosening the fit on the fly, the main strap isn't adjustable for length, riders will especially wide feet might find the toe box's inboard taper to crowd their big toes a little, and the metallic silver aesthetics definitely won't suit everyone (all-black is optional).
For under US$200, though, the Bontrager RL Road shoes still pack in a lot of value and some solid race-spec features and now that the issues have been resolved, they finally now actually fit and function pretty well, too.
